I’m a self-taught artist from Shepparton, Victoria, Australia, and I’ve been working primarily in pastels for over 30 years.
My journey with art began in early childhood, trading soft drink bottles for sticks of chalk to draw on footpaths and blackboards. Over time, I explored watercolour and oil painting, but it was when I discovered pastels that I truly committed to my art.
I’m known for my realistic still life and portrait works, often inspired by everyday objects, thrift shop finds, and floral arrangements. I hold signature status with both the Pastel Society of Victoria (PSV), where I’ve been a member for 18 years, and the Australian Guild of Realist Artists (AGRA), where I currently serve as secretary and a member of the board.
I joined both organisations in 2007 and have since received numerous awards for my work. Over the years, I’ve held four solo exhibitions and regularly run pastel workshops, which give me the opportunity to connect with like-minded creatives and share what I’ve learned.
My work has reached extraordinary heights - literally. In 2017, I was featured in an episode of Put Some Colour in Your Life, founded by the late Graeme Stevenson OAM. That episode was selected to be part of the Lunar Codex Time Capsule - a curated collection of global art encoded onto a disc not much bigger than a fifty-cent coin. With the cooperation of NASA and the United Launch Alliance Moon Missions, the capsule was sent to the moon and successfully landed on March 2nd, 2025, where it will remain preserved for at least a billion years.
My art is currently hanging in the heritage-listed, beautiful Fortuna Villa in Bendigo.
Now in my seventies, and having raised five children over four decades, I continue to pursue art with the same passion and enthusiasm as ever. My approach to art is to use my artistic licence and natural talent, and to not let the rules get in the way of creativity. My work is defined by attention to detail, a love for texture, and a deep appreciation for the beauty in everyday objects.
